Hi there!

Today we are going to discuss the best credit cards for traveling.

I know this might not be the sexiest of subjects to talk about. But with so many unique cards on the market, the points and rewards are definitely worth discussing if you ask me!

If you like to travel, then you’re sure to love the benefits you can get with travel rewards credit cards.

When managed correctly, the perks of having these types of benefits whether you are using these for airline miles or for hotels.

 

Without further ado, let’s jump into the article!

 

 

 

For more information on the best credit cards for traveling, please check out Forbes. I like their insight on the rewards and how to manage these types of cards. Here is a link to their website.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Credit Cards for Traveling: Our Top 3 for 2024

 

 

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

 

 

Here’s the cold hard facts on credit cards.

When managed correctly, it can highly benefit you when traveling.

On the flipside, it can be a nightmare for months or even years to come if you are careless.

But this article isn’t to scare you off. My intentions are to lay out the rewards so that they might speak to you in a way.

Nothing more and nothing less.

For anyone who travels enough to have a separate savings account, like I do, credit cards can be a valuable resource toward booking and paying for your trip.

The rewards can offset a huge portion of your out-of-pocket expenses, and the best cards often pay for themselves in money saved and headaches avoided.

But let’s start with one of my favorites. The Capital One Venture One Credit Card.

This is one of the best credit cards for traveling if you want my humble opinion. And here’s why.

It’s because of its highly lucrative, yet dead simple rewards program.

Also, you can Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase and use them to get reimbursed for any travel purchase — or to book a trip through Capital One Travel.

This is really good news for those who love to travel!

 

Credit Cards for Traveling: The Features of the Venture One

On top of that, here are some more caveats for the Capital One Venture.

• Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day.
• Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options.
• Miles won’t expire for the life of the account and there’s no limit to how many you can earn.
• Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA Precheck.
• Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
• Enrich every hotel stay from the Lifestyle Collection with a suite of cardholder benefits, like a $50 experience credit, room upgrades, and more.
• Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs.

 

All in all, this is one of the best credit cards for traveling.

 

 

 

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

 

 

Another one that is high on the list of great credit cards is the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. A credit card that is just loaded with nice features and nuggets. Let’s take a look at them.

 

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Get complimentary access to Dash Pass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.

 

 

Furthermore, the enormous welcome bonus (worth up to $750), bonus points for travel and dining, and $50 annual hotel credit alone make this card well worth the $95 annual fee.

What really stands out are the rare travel protections such as trip delay reimbursement, lost luggage reimbursement, and trip cancellation/interruption insurance. It’s the only low annual fee card we’ve seen offer those protections.

 

In contrast, I feel like this card has more of the bells and whistles than the venture one card.

 

 

The American Express Gold Card

 

Finally, the American Express Gold Card rounds out our list of top credit cards for traveling.

This card offers considerable value, as it earns 4X points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X) and 4X points at restaurants.

Plus, earn 3X points on flights booked directly with airlines or on American Express Travel. Meanwhile, $120 in annual dining credits and $120 in Uber cash can offset almost the entire $250 annual fee. (Terms apply.)

Overall, it’s an incredibly lucrative card for those who spend a lot in those categories.

But we also need to hit home on the features of this card.

Let’s take a look.

• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
• $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Gold belly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
• Get a $100 experience credit with a minimum two-night stay when you book The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel. Experience credit varies by property.
• Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $250.

The only downside to this card would be the annual fee. I like to avoid this fee if all possible, but sometimes the rewards and features are really hard for me to ignore.

Thoughts & Takeaways

And that will wrap things up for today. Credit cards for traveling can be highly rewarding if managed correctly. The amount of cash back, hotel perks, and airline miles make traveling an added bonus. I like the variety of these cards and the features that come with them. I hope you found this article to give you a better perspective on how to redeem your points, and really, how you should view credit cards for traveling. Please share your favorite credit cards for traveling in the comment section below.

 

 

 

 

-CT